[Federal Register: January 6, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 4)]
[Notices]
[Page 923-924]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06ja06-40]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and
Conduct Public Scoping Meetings for the Fishtrap Lake Road Project,
Fishtrap Lake, Pike County, KY
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the
Huntington District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD, will prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS will evaluate potential
direct, indirect and cumulative impacts to the natural, physical, and
human environment resulting from construction of one or more roads
proposed to serve recreational development and community access needs
at the Fishtrap Lake Project near Millard, Pike County, KY.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments and suggestions concerning this
proposed project to Peter K. Dodgion PD-R, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Huntington District, 502 Eighth Street, Huntington, WV
25701-2070. Telephone: 304-399-5873. Electronic mail:
peter.k.dodgion@usace.army.mil. Requests to be placed on the mailing
list should also be sent to this address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To obtain additional information about
the proposed project, contact Beth A. Cade PD-F, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Huntington District, 502 Eighth Street, Huntington, WV
25701-2070. Telephone: 304-399-5848. Electronic mail:
beth.a.cade@usace.army.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Public Participation:
a. The Corps of Engineers will conduct public scoping workshops to
gain input from interested agencies, organizations, and the general
public concerning the content of the EIS, issues and impacts to be
addressed in the EIS, and alternatives that should be analyzed. Three
public scoping workshops are scheduled as follows:
(1) January 23, 2006, from 6-8:30 p.m., Kimper Grade School, 8151
State Highway 194, East Kimper, KY;
(2) January 24, 2006, from 12-2:30 p.m., Pike County Courthouse,
Fiscal Courtroom, 146 Main Street, Pikesville, KY; and,
(3) January 24, 2006 from 6-8:30 p.m., Millard Grade School, 20
Rocky Road, Pikesville, KY.
b. The Corps invites full public participation to promote open
communication and better decision-making. All persons and organizations
that have an interest in the community access and recreation at and
around Fishtrap Lake are urged to participate in this NEPA
environmental analysis process. Assistance will be provided upon
request to anyone having difficulty with learning how to participate.
c. Public comments are welcomed anytime throughout the NEPA
process. Formal opportunities for public participation include: (1)
Public meetings to be held near the Fishtrap Lake Project; (2) Anytime
during the NEPA process via mail, telephone, fax, or e-mail; (3) During
Review and Comment on the Draft EIS--approximately Fall 2006; and, (4)
Review of the Final EIS--approximately Spring 2007. Schedules and
locations will be announced in local news media. Interested parties may
also request to be included on the mailing list for public distribution
of meeting announcements and documents. (See ADDRESSES).
d. To ensure that all issues related to the proposed project are
addressed, the Corps will conduct an open process to define the scope
of the EIS. Recommendations from interested agencies, local and
regional stakeholders and the general public are encouraged to provide
input into regional recreational needs, community access, and other
issues and concerns that should be considered in formulation and
evaluation of project alternatives and documented in the EIS. Scoping
for the EIS will continue to build upon the knowledge and information
developed in the approximately 40 years the Corps of Engineer has
managed the Fishtrap Lake Project.
2. Background:
a. The Fishtrap Lake Project (Project), which became operational in
1969, includes a 2,631-acre impoundment of the Levisa Fork, a tributary
of the Big Sandy River. The dam is located 103.3 miles above the mouth
of the Levisa Fork. The Project consists of 15,786 acres in this rugged
mountainous area of Southeastern Kentucky. In addition to flood
control, Congressionally authorized project purposes include
recreation, low-flow augmentation, and fish and wildlife conservation.
About 12,000 acres are currently leased to the Kentucky Division of
Fish and Wildlife for wildlife management.
b. The proposed road at Fishtrap Lake was named in the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2004 (Act). The Act also provided under the
General
[[Page 924]]
Provisions for Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that ``funds made
available under this section may, at the request of a State, be
transferred by the Secretary to another Federal agency to carry out a
project funded under this section, such funds to be then administered
by the procedures of the Federal agency to which such funds may be
transferred''. Pursuant to this provision, FHWA transferred the funding
to the Huntington District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to execute the
project. FHWA will participate in the EIS development as a cooperating
agency.
c. An evaluation of current and reasonably foreseeable future
recreation demands of the region that could be served by the Fishtrap
Project will be conducted within this study. Pike County has long been
interested in development of the recreation potential of the Project as
a means to diversify the region's predominately coal extraction-based
economy. Inundation to create Fishtrap Lake affected access of certain
communities adjacent to the project. An array of acceptable recreation
alternatives as well as community access needs will provide the basis
for road alternatives.
d. Alternatives to be considered will include the No Action
alternative, or no road development; and alternatives formulated to
address the results of the assessments of recreational needs and
community access with input through internal and external scoping.
William E. Bulen,
Colonel, Corps of Engineers, District Engineer, Huntington.
[FR Doc. 06-101 Filed 1-5-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-GM-M